Carl Froch v Bernard Hopkins

I see the way to beating Hopkins is with the jab, If froch uses his reach well and does not hold his feet when throwing the jab and then moving back out of range he`d make it hard for Hopkins whose a defensive counter puncher. It`s like this jab and move and hopkins cant hug you, hopkins will either have to take the long distance jabs all night or have to come forward which aint his style. Just a theory...

 

Hopkins isn't there for jabs. It sounds simple 'jab him and he has to be more aggressive'. Yeah in theory that sounds great and works, but the reality is Hopkins is more patient than Froch, and just about anybody else. Hopkins will go on the walk and not let those jabs hit anything but air. Then he'll use his superb ability to explode into life and surprise his opponent, he reads their habits and rhythm and knows when to attack, and once he's done that he stifles them on the inside before they can respond. The only time jabs have ever worked against Hopkins was the Taylor fights, where he mostly performed quite poorly more than anything but maybe a really good quick jab does trouble him. But calzaghe has a great jab, good enough to outjab Kessler, yet his jab did nothing but help get him closer to Hopkins rather than land and dominate the fight.

 

Froch is my favourite fighter. He loses widely. Bhop is far too smart, carls only chance is probably drawing hop into a brawl which ain't gonna happen. Bad fight IMO, carl has a good jab when on form so bhop is gonna get inside and clinch a lot and old man him for a win. **** fight to watch, like much of bhops work but a clear win. Let's be honest: bhop is still at the top of his game and carl is not bringing anything bhop hasn't already seen.

 

Hopkins is a master of taking away your jab. There is no way a fighter who's going in relying on a jab as his main weapon beats Hopkins. Anyone who knows anything about Hopkins and watched him over the years would not say you beat him with a jab. Winky has one of the best jabs of his generation and he was falling short with it and throwing it from 2 feet away. Slipping your measuring 1 or completely neutralising it is **** easy to Hopkins.

Froch's best hope would be to outwork him with improved footwork and not try and get his output cut.

 

Calzaghe failed with his attack because he kept holding his feet after coming in with the jab he didnt jab and move back out of range, so Hokins kept holding him, Calzaghe made it easier for Hopkins

 

Yeah the fact that winky was a LMW fighting at LHW didn't help him either

 

B-Hops textbook stance and the fact e had Calzaghe worried about counter shots stunted Calzaghes movement IMO.

 

I think if they fought tomorrow Hopkins on points

 

Actually, his footwork was one of his best assets in that fight. Watch it closely, it's very subtle. If he'd moved out in a conventional way, he would've made it easier for Hopkins in terms of spacing and timing and would not have tired him out. Crowding with volume was a good tactic and it had Bernard blowing out of his arse.

 

with Calzaghe`s footwork at its best Hopkins wouldnt have had time to counter if Joe had jabbed him and step out of the pocket, when Joe held his feet after jabbing the majority of what Hopkins was doing was holding.

 

Depends its been known for boxers to get visibily older in the ring and maybe a more fresh, powerful Froch is the one to do that. If he gets hit with a few of Frochs bigger shots who knows...

That said if Hopkins maintains the form of the last Pascal fight he does he usual boring fighting style a wins a clear UD

 

Froch has arrived

 

Trust, Calzaghes unorthodox foot placement and B-Hops conventional stance would have effectively cancelled each other out and made for a scrappy fight whatever style each man chose to employ.

All about the feet, was that matchup.

 

Surprises me how close this is.

 

Going on his fight with pascal, Bhop could be past it IMO, I said froch points but think Carl would finish him off if he was rocked again